Eggplant and Beef Meatballs

Whenever we order subs from an Italian restaurant, we always have a tough time deciding what kind. Do we want a meatball sub, or an eggplant sub? Well, I don’t make that decision anymore. With this recipe, we get the best of both worlds. It’s not meatless; cooked eggplant is added to the ground beef mixture before shaping into balls. Adding vegetables to meatballs yields such a moist and tender texture. Unless you have a really discerning palate, you would probably never guess what was added; on the other hand, there seems to be this “magical” ingredient that heightens the flavor and makes the taste so memorable. The meatballs are so soft, they literally melt in your mouth. Whether you serve them alone, atop spaghetti, or in a sub, they’ll steal the show. After browning, I put them in a slow cooker with homemade marinara sauce and let the flavors really develop. Then I toasted a sub roll, rubbed a little garlic over the cut surface of the bread, added some meatballs, sauce and freshly shredded mozzarella and baked just until the cheese melted. The contrasting textures of the crusty bread and the moist and delicate meatballs marry for an exciting sensation. And the taste? You will relish each and every bite! 

 

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Lightly drizzle olive oil (about 2 Tablespoons) over bottom of large baking dish (or two smaller baking pans). 

Peel and dice the eggplant. Place in saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. 

Drain thoroughly. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix together remaining meatball ingredients: ground beef, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, 1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, 2 eggs (slightly beaten), basil, salt and pepper. Mash the eggplant (I didn't mash the eggplant, but that's a personal choice); and mix it in with the meatball mixture.

Form into meatballs (a little larger than golf ball size, 28 to 30). The meatballs will be wetter than normal meatballs and a little more difficult to shape. Add more breadcrumbs as needed to shape meatballs, without adding too much and drying out the meat mixture. You want the meatballs to be wetter and less firm than normal. Transfer meatballs to prepared baking dish(es).

Bake for 25 minutes, or until meatballs are lightly browned. Alternatively, you can fry the meatballs in batches in skillet. However, I prefer the baking method. They brown more evenly, without falling apart. These meatballs are very soft, so frying can be a bit of a challenge.

At this point, decide how you would like to serve the meatballs. I usually prepare a homemade marinara sauce (which I will post tomorrow), add the marinara sauce and the meatballs to a crockpot and slow cook to really develop the flavors of the sauce and the meatballs. Cook, covered, on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until ready to serve. (If pressed for time, add meatballs and sauce to a large saucepan and simmer for a minimum of 1 hour.)

For subs: Split sub rolls in half lengthwise (without cutting all the way through). Lay cut side down on rack in oven until toasted. Remove from oven. Cut a fresh garlic clove in half. Rub cut side of garlic into cut side of bread (to infuse a little garlic flavor in the bread). Top the bread with desired amount of sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese; then sprinkle freshly shredded mozzarella over the top. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake just until cheese melts. Remove from oven and serve hot.

To serve meatballs alone, as a casserole: Place some sauce in bottom of baking dish. Set meatballs in sauce. Top with grated Parmesan (about 1/2 cup) and shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups). Bake in 375° F. oven for 20 minutes, or until all is hot and bubbly.

To serve with pasta: Heat meatballs and sauce in crockpot (or in large saucepan on stove). Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and serve with meatballs, sauce and grated Parmesan.

EGGPLANT AND BEEF MEATBALLS
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large eggplant, peeled and diced
• 2 pounds lean ground beef (or turkey)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for baking (or frying)
• Prepared marinara sauce (homemade or jarred)
• Additional Parmesan cheese, for serving
• 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Lightly drizzle olive oil (about 2 Tablespoons) over bottom of large baking
    dish (or two smaller baking pans).
2. Peel and dice the eggplant. Place in saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce
    heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. Drain thoroughly. Let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix together remaining meatball ingredients: ground beef, 1/2 cup
    Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, 1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, 2 eggs (slightly beaten), basil,
    salt and pepper.Mash the eggplant; and mix it in with the meatball mixture. Form into 18 meatballs (a
    little larger than golf ball size). The meatballs will be wetter than normal meatballs and a little more
    difficult to shape. Add more breadcrumbs as needed to shape meatballs, without adding too much
    and drying out the meat mixture. You want the meatballs to be wetter and less firm than normal.
4. Transfer meatballs to prepared baking dish(es). Bake for 25 minutes, or until meatballs are lightly
    browned. Alternatively, you can fry the meatballs in batches in skillet.
5. Add the marinara sauce and the meatballs to a crockpot and slow cook to really develop the flavors of
    the sauce and the meatballs. Cook, covered, on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until ready to serve. (Or, heat
    in saucepan, for a minimum of 1 hour.)

For subs: Split sub rolls in half lengthwise (without cutting all the way through). Lay cut side down on rack in oven until toasted. Remove from oven. Cut a fresh garlic clove in half. Rub cut side of garlic into cut side of bread (to infuse a little garlic flavor in the bread). Top the bread with desired amount of sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with Parmesan and freshly shredded mozzarella. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake just until cheese melts. Remove from oven and serve hot.

To serve meatballs alone, as a casserole: Place some sauce in bottom of baking dish. Set meatballs in sauce. Top with grated Parmesan (about 1/2 cup) and shredded mozzarella (about 2 cups). Bake in 375° F. oven for 20 minutes, or until all is hot and bubbly.

To serve with pasta: Heat meatballs and sauce in crockpot (or in large saucepan on stove). Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and serve with meatballs, sauce and grated Parmesan.